a little progress

well, making a little progress. at left are my pockets/gauge swatches, and i have about 6 inches of actual jacket knitted. it doesn't look like much so far- just a wide, black garter stitch ribbon (or a sideways scarf!)

i'm using peaches and creme double worsted at 3.5 stitches to the inch.

i realized about 10 rows after a short row that one of my wraps looks lousy and i made the executive decision not to go back. can you duplicate stitch in garter? i don't think it's very noticable- or is that just wishful thinking?

About to start

Got my yarn on Monday and am all set to go :o) Just got to calm the teenager in my life and I can settle down to knit. Can't wait to do this, will be my first EZ pattern.

A Little Progress

So, I have made a little progress since my last post. I have about 6" knit. I want the jacket to hang about 4" below my hips when it is done, so I think that I have about another 8" to knit before I start the arm hole openings. I do want to add a wide stripe of the lighter wool just under that point.

Here it is all stretched out on the front porch.

I have been doing the short row shaping, but at slightly larger intervals than EZ suggests in Knitting Without Tears. I'm doing them every 8 rows. I calculated that that would have the back hang about 2" lower than the front.

I had intended to use EZ's method of closing the gap between short rows, knitting the gap stitch together with the next stich the row or two below, but the knitting is so mindless, then when I came to short rows I wrapped the next stitch, and picked up the wrap when I came back through, so I guess I will stick with that method.

A few couple people have asked to join in today. Welcome Kelly and Gina! Glad to have you with us.

hi!

I'm Marnie. happy to be joining in! I'm nearly finished with a Tomten - the progress photos are on my blog. short version: i'm using Rowan Big Wool at 2.5 st/in so I'm making this by taking EZ's numbers and dividing everything by 2. (the size i would want is specified at 5 st/in by EZ). I also left out the short rows in the back - given the huge yarn it would make a very misshapen garment. as it is right now it fits my baby like a dream. I have one more sleeve and then I have some decisions. I was originally thinking to pick up from the cast-on edge and knit down, creating a bottom that was convertible between legs and a bunting (at which point i would add loads of short rows in the butt). But now I'm thinking to just leave it as it is for a while and see what strikes my fancy later. I think I'll leave off the button band entirely at this point - i can easily pop average-sized buttons through the huge stitches.

After I make this one, I have another planned - one for my 4.5 year old. I'm planning to cast on provisionally and then when I'm finished, pick up and knit down, making it a longer jacket. The reason I plan on knitting down is that I have no idea what length to make it so that my daughter can still run around.

After that, I'm torn between making one for myself (heavily modified to make it better shaped for an adult) or making a Bog Jacket.

Now that I've babbled on and on about my Zimmermann plans for the future... let me close by saying thanks for making this knit-along!

Well, I got my second gauge swatch done last night at Gerry's annual Halloween B-movie Night. This one, being done in a more relaxed enviroment turned out more as I expected at 14 sts to 4". I cast on 160 sts, for about a 46" width, but I do plan to add a button band to widen it a bit more. I want to be able to wear it over bulky sweaters.

I don't have too much knitting done yet, but it's been a busy day today. Hopefully tomorrow I can get some done.

cast on!

OK, yarn is here, knitted my gauge swatch (2 of them, actually. eventually they will be pockets or pocket linings, depending on which way i do them) and i've cast on for the Tomten itself!



i am using peaches and creme double worsted, in black, at 3.5 stitches to the inch on #10 Denise interchangable needles. So far i really like the yarn! i am a bit nervous, as one often reads that cotton sweaters are too heavy, but one sees them in stores and in catalogs, etc. one way to find out....though it may be a very labor-intensive way to find out ;)



photos soon

also getting ready

well, i've ordered the yarn, anyway. does that count?

it is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and i'm a little excited :)

i am going to try knitting mine in peaches & cream double worsted, black, with a band of black and silver gray in a mosaic pattern- still deciding which.

Getting Ready

So, Just in the interest of getting this blog going here are the materials I'm starting with. I'm using Cascasde Eco Wool. I bought three skeins for the jacket, the brown and pale beige. The black is left-over from a project I made last winter. I thought I might use it for some trim, but seeing it with the other colours I have decided not to.

I have made up a gauge swatch, but I think I will re-swatch. The 4 sts to the inch I got was probably affected by knitting in the car while my mother was driving (I think her driving was making me tense!) Anyway, I still have to work up the underarm seams, and do the blocking on my Cobblestone Pullover. I guess it should wait until I'm done with that, but I really can't wait to get going!
Brian